Introduction: A relative age effect (RAE), which consists of an over-representation of athletes born early in a selection year, was shown to be present in all age categories of alpine ski racing and soccer. Before strategies in the talent development systems can be changed to minimize the RAE, it is necessary to find the causal mechanisms of it. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of biological maturity status on the RAE. Methods: The study included the investigation of 557 Austrian elite youth athletes (11-12 years): 134 (68 males, 66 females) national ski racers (SR) and 423 male soccer players (SP). Anthropometric measurements were performed, the age at peak height velocity (APHV) (Mirwald et al., 2002) was calculated and the birth months (divided into 4 relative age quarters (Q1-4)) were examined. Univariate ANOVA (post hoc: Scheffé) assessed differences in APHV between the athletes born in Q1-4. Chi²-tests evaluated differences in the Q-distributions and in the distributions of early (E), normal (N) and late (L) maturing athletes of the single Q. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: A RAE was present in SR (x²(3,N=134)=12.09; p=0.007; =0.30) and SP (x²(3,N=423)=33.09; p<0.001; =0.28). SR of Q1-4 did not significantly differ in APHV from each other (p>0.05). SP of Q1-4 significantly differed in APHV (F(3, 419)=10.86; p<0.001); post hoc-tests revealed that SP of Q 3 and 4 had a significantly lower APHV than SP of Q 1 and 2. The distribution of E, N and L maturing SR and SP significantly differed from the expected normal distribution (SR: x²(2,N=134)=23.36; p<0.001; SP: x²(2,N=423)=67.63; p<0.001). SR of Q4 were N (65.2%; m: 41.7%; f: 90.9%) and E maturing (34.8%; m: 58.3%; f: 9.1%). The distribution of the SP of Q4 was N (56.9%) and E maturing (43.1%). Discussion: A highly significant RAE was present among SR and SP. The biological maturity status (APHV) significantly influenced the RAE in soccer; the relatively younger SP (Q3-4) will reach their individual peak growth spurt at a younger age; they are more mature. In both groups the distribution of E, N and L maturing athletes significantly differed from the expected normal distribution with a high percentage of E and hardly any L maturing athletes (L (Q1-4): SR 0.7%; SP 2.4%). The relatively younger athletes of Q4 can counteract the relative age disadvantage and seem to only have a chance for selection for national races (SR) and performance centers (SP), when they are early or normal matured; late maturing relatively younger athletes seem to have no chance for selection.
© Copyright 2016 21st Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Vienna, 6. -9. July 2016. Julkaistu Tekijä University of Vienna. Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään. / Kääntänyt https://www.DeepL.com/Translator